Easel



L. SOLEM April 1, 1947.

EAS EL lTIL Filed March 1, 1946 Patented Apr. 1, l947 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,41s,433 i v EASEL Louis Solem, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 1, 1946, Serial No. 651,290

(Cl. 12o-28) Claims.

My invention relates broadly to easels and more specifically is in thenature of a general purpose prop or article-supporting bracket.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device of the generalcharacter above described which can be anchoredv to and supported bynumerous objects such as typewriters, books, shelves or ledges ofpractically any type,

Another object of my invention is to provide such a structure which isinexpensive and easy to manufacture, and which is extremely durable.

A still further object of my invention is to provide devices of the kinddescribed which can be used in cooperative arrangement whereby one ofthe devices can be used as a support or base for the other.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attacheddrawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating my novel easel supporting astenographers book on the ledge of a typewriter, some parts being shownin dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1, some parts being broken asshown in section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the use of my novel structureon the cover of a book;

Fig. 4 is a View corresponding somewhat to Fig. 3 showing a slightlydierent use of the' easel; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the use of two of my noveldevices in cooperative arrangement whereby to provide a base andsupporting easel.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l indica-tes anormally upstanding body portion of the easel upon which the article tobe supported is generally adapted to rest. Body I is in the nature of anelongated bar. Itis obvious that the width of therbody portion may varyconsiderably depending upon the nature of the article sought to besupported thereby.

At the base of the body portion I it will be observed that the elongatedbar is bent backwardly upon itself to form a clip 2, the axis of whichis substantially parallel to the body portion l and which is in closeproximity to the body portion l, especially at the top of the fold or asindicated at 3 (see Fig. 4). An integrally formed article-supportingshelf 4 extends forwardly from the base of clip 2, preferably, and asshown, at an acute angle to the bar or body portion l. At its extremeouter edge, the shelf is provided with a downturned portion -5 whichterminates in a backwardly formed hook 6. Also preferably, and as shown,the extreme upper end of the bar-like body portion l is formedbackwardly at an obtuse angle as illustrated by the numeral l. Oneobvious purpose of this, particularly as shown in Fig. 2, is tofacilitate the folding of the pages or the cover of a book or the likebackwardly thereover.

Figs. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate the use of my novel device in use on atypewriter 8 having a conventional shelf-like cover 9 with a downturnedlip or flange lll. In Figs. l and 2, one type of note book isillustrated wherein one of the reinforced covers Il is shown as havingits extreme outer end Ila forced between the lower end of body portion land retaining clip 2 whereby the same is securely held in position. Theother cover l2 is shown as being allowed to extend over the backwardlyturned top portion l. The arrangement shown in Fig, 4 is identical inall respects except that a dilerent type of stenographic note book isillustrated. In both of these structures it will be observed that thepages of the book are allowed to come to rest upon the shelf 4.

In Fig. 3, the device is shown as being anchored to the reinforced coverI3 of a book I4. However. it should be understood that my easel can beused with or anchored to a shelf of any thickness and this may beaccomplished by merely varying the length of the depending portion 5 toaccommodate a given shelf.

Fig. 5 illustrates further, the importance of the backwardly bent orformed portion 'I which makes it possible to anchor the upright memberto the cooperating substantially horizontal member which has been turnedso that the normally backturned end 'l points in downward direction.

While I have found it very advantageous to form my structure from asingle piece of metal, in the form of a bar or the like, it should beunderstood that the same can be formed from plastic or any othersuitable material with equally good results, if desired.

Furthermore, it should be understood that in the use of this noveldevice, articles (depending entirely upon the nature) may be Isupportedsolely by inserting their extreme lower ends beetween the lower end ofbar-like body portion I and retaining clip 2, by restingthem solely uponthe retaining shelf 4, by combining or utilizing both the shelf 4 andthe retaining clip 2.

What I claim is:

1. An easel comprising an elongated supporting bar, a laterally oisetintegrally formed article retaining lip extending upwardly from the baseof said bar,v and in close proximity thereto, andan integrally formedarticle supportingwshelfv extending forwardly from said retaining lip,said shelf at its extreme outer edge being formed downwardly andbackwardly to provide an arrchoringr hook.

,4 2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said supporting shelfextends forwardly from said retaining lip at an acute angle to said bar.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the extreme upper end ofsaid bar is backwardly turned at an obtuse angle.

4. In `a device of the kind described, a metal bar bent to form anormally upstanding body portion, a forwardly odset loop in closeProximity to said body portion, an article supporting shelf whichextends forwardly from said loop at an acute angle to said normallyupright body portion, and an anchoring hook extending downwardly andbackwardly from the extreme outer edge ,of said outer shelf.

5. The structure dened in claim 4 in which the extreme upper end of saidnormally upright body portion is bent backwardly at an obtuse angle.

LOUIS SOLEM.

